Full video: 2024 New Hampshire 2nd District Republicans debate

THIS IS A WMUR COMMITMENT 2024 SPECIAL. THE GRANITE STATE DEBATES VIKRAM SHAH IS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND ECONOMIST. THE LINCOLN BUSINESSMAN'S EXPERIENCE INCLUDES TEACHING AT HARVARD AND YALE AND HOLDING A COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE. HE RAN FOR U.S. SENATE IN 2022. LILY TANG WILLIAMS EMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES FROM CHINA IN THE 1980S. SHE WORKED AS A MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKER AND A CORPORATE EXECUTIVE BEFORE STARTING HER OWN BUSINESS. SHE RAN FOR THE SECOND DISTRICT SEAT IN 2022, EARNING A QUARTER OF THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTE. BILL HAMLIN WORKS IN UPPER VALLEY REAL ESTATE, BUT BEFORE THAT HE WAS IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY. THE BUSINESSMAN AND DARTMOUTH GRAD SAYS HE ALWAYS VOWED TO COME BACK TO NEW HAMPSHIRE AFTER COLLEGE. NOW HE HOPES TO REPRESENT THE GRANITE STATE IN CONGRESS. TONIGHT, THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IN THE SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT FOR THE GRANITE STATE DEBATES. I'M WMUR POLITICAL DIRECTOR ADAM SEXTON. TONIGHT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IN THE SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. THEY'RE JOINING US LIVE TONIGHT. THEY'LL BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM ME AND FROM OUR PANELISTS. THOSE PANELISTS TONIGHT ARE WMUR ANCHORS MONICA HERNANDEZ AND STEVE BOTTARI. HERE'S A LOOK AT THE FORMAT. EACH CANDIDATE WILL GET UP TO 60S TO ANSWER A QUESTION. THEY'LL GET UP TO SECOCONDS FORA REBUTTAL IF NECESSARY, AND THOSE WILL BE GRANTED AT MY DISCRETION. WE'RE GOING TO START THE QUESTIONS TONIGHT WITH MONICA HERNANDEZ. MANY REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS HAVE ARGUED THAT EVERY STATE IS NOW A BORDER STATE, GIVEN THE RECORD NUMBER OF ILLEGAL CROSSINGS JUST TO OUR SOUTH. MASSACHUSETTS HAS SPENT A BILLION DOLLARS ON HOUSING MIGRANTS BEYOND SIMPLY LOCKING DOWN THE SOUTHERN BORDER. WHAT POLICIES CAN YOU PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE? MISS WILLIAMS WILL SEND THIS QUESTION FIRST TO YOU. I WENT TO THE NORTHERN BORDER IN MAY. I SIT DOWN WITH THE HOMEOWNERS AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ICE AGENTS. I AM A LEGAL IMMIGRANT. I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THIS CURRENT SITUATION THAT WE ALLOW ILLEGALS. MANY OF THEM COME INTO THIS COUNTRY, DO NOT KNOW WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY COME FROM, AND DRAINING OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES. AND I THINK WE WANT TO SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. IF YOU LOVE AMERICA, YOU WANT TO COME HERE LEGALLY. WE WELCOME YOU. AND IT TOOK MY BROTHER 13 YEARS TO WAIT IN CHINA TO COME HERE LEGALLY AND MEET THE AMERICAN SPONSOR GUARANTEE HIM WILL NOT BE ON THE BACK OF TAXPAYERS. SO I'M VERY STRONG ON BORDER SECURITY AND ALSO IT HAS BECOME A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT TO OUR COUNTRY, TO OUR STATE. SO MY TOP TWO ISSUES ON BORDER SECURITY AND INFLATION. SO WHEN I GO TO CONGRESS, I WILL VOTE TO DEFUND SANCTUARY CITIES AND SECURE BOTH NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN BORDERS. MR. MONCUR AMANI. HI. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. LOOKOK, THE BORDERS ARE A PROBL. THEY'RE A PROBLEM ON SO MANY LEVELS. THERE'S A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT HERE WITH A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS ON TERRORIST WATCH LISTS CROSSING THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN BORDERS. WE HAVE TO SECURE IT FOR THE FENTANYL THAT'S COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY. WE ABSOLUTELY NEED SECURE BORDERS, AND THAT REQUIRES THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY THAT REQUIRES THE USE OF OF A WALL. BUILDING A WALL. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE ACTUALLY NEED THE COMMITMENT TO GET THIS DONE. WE CANNOT COMPROMISE ON THIS. NOW. I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE A WELCOMING IMMIGRATION PROCESS FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO COME IN LEGALLY. THAT IS ALSO PART OF WHAT MAKES AMERICA GREAT. THERE'S A REASON PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO AMERICA. PEOPLE ARE NOT TRYING TO BUST INTO RUSSIA OR CHINA. THEY'RE TRYING TO COME HERE BECAUSE AMERICA IS THIS LAND OF OPPORTUNITY. IT'S A LAND WHERE IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU'VE DONE, WHAT MONEY YOU HAVE IN YOUR POCKET, OR WHAT PROFESSION YOUR PARENTS HAD. YOU CAN RISE BY SIMPLE HARD WORK. SO I THINK AMERICA IS A GREAT NATION, BUT WE DO NEED TO HAVE SECURE BORDERS, NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN. AND MR. HAMLIN. WELL, IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT THIS TOPIC WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT SINCE JOE BIDEN CAME INTO OFFICE, MORE AMERICANS HAVE DIED OF OPIOID AND FENTANYL OVERDOSES THAN THAN AMERICANS DIED IN ALL OF WORLD WORLD WAR TWO. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE CRISIS, AND I CAN TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, I LOST A RELATIVE TO A DRUG OVERDOSE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, A VERY CLOSE RELATIVE. AND SO I THINK THE NUMBER ONE THING WE NEED TO DO IS TO SECURE THE BORDER, NOT JUST TO TO PREVENT ADDITIONAL PEOPLE, BUT TO TO REALLY GET THIS CRISIS UNDER CONTROL. YOU KNOW, AMERICANS ARE DYING. IT'S AN ABSOLUTE CRISIS. YOU KNOW, RECENTLY NEW HAMPSHIRE, WE WERE RANKED AS HAVING THE HIGHEST QUALITY O OF LIFE IN THE NATION. BUT THE THE TWO AREAS WHERE WE'RE FALLING BEHIND ARE QUALITY OF LIFE. IS DRUG OVERDOSES AND SUICIDE. AND THESE THINGS GO HAND IN HAND. SO THE OPEN BORDER IS AN ABSOLUTE CRISIS THAT WE NEED TO SECURE IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AND, YOU KNOW, I WOULD ADVOCATE IF IT MEANS BRINGING IN THE ARMY, I WOULD SAY THAT WE CAN DO THAT. I NEED TO BUILD A WALL. WE NEED TO HIRE MORE AGENTS. WE NEED TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO SECURE THAT BORDER. NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM STEVE BOTTARI. INFLATION IS CERTAINLY SQUEEZING GRANITE STATE FAMILIES AND PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR ANSWERS. WE KNOW YOU'VE ALL BEEN CRITICAL OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FOR THIS. LET'S PUT THAT ASIDE FOR A MINUTE. OTHER THAN CURTAILING GOVERNMENT SPENDING, WHAT IS ONE POLICY YOU THINK GOP LEADERSHIP SHOULD PUSH TO THE FLOOR TO STOP INFLATION? MR. CHAIRMAN, TO YOU FIRST. DRILL BABY. DRILL. WE NEED MORE ENERGY. THE MORE ENERGY WE PRODUCE, PRICES WILL FALL. ENERGY PRICES BLEED INTO EVERYTHING. WE KNOW THAT HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WE HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST ENERGY PRICES IN THE NATION. WE HAVE TO GET MORE ENERGY. AND THAT MEANS ALL OF THE ABOVE. THAT MEANS OIL, THAT MEANS GAS. THATAT MEANS NUCLEAR. THAT MEANS SOLAR, BUT NOT SUBSIDIZED WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS. THAT MEANS WIND, BUT NOT OFFSHORE. IF IT'S FALLING APART, CAUSING ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE, AND ALSO USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS. I'M A BELIEVER THAT IN ALL OF THE ABOVE, ENERGY APPROACH WILL ACTUALLY LOWER PRICES. THOSE PRICES WILL BLEED THROUGH INTO ALL GOODS AND SERVICES. LOOK, I HAVE A COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE. I'VE SPENT TIME DRIVING TRACTOR TRAILERS. I UNDERSTAND THE COST OF DIESEL AFFECTS TRANSPORTATION OF EVERYTHING. AS A RESULT, IF WE GET ENERGY GROWTH, ALL OF THE ABOVE ENERGY, WE WILL IN FACT LOWER PRICES. OF COURSE, I WANT TO STOP THE GOVERNMENT SPENDING OF COURSE I WANT TO STOP THE HANDOUTS. OF COURSE I WANT TO STOP THE PRINTING. ET CETERA. BUT GIVEN YOUR QUESTION, STEVE, I THINK I'M GOING TO STICK WITH ENERGY POLICY. IS THE WAY TO LOWER PRICES. MR. WILLIAMS, BEYOND CURTAILING GOVERNMENT SPENDING, WHAT COULD YOU DO IN CONGRESS TO STOP INFLATION? WELL, THE INFLATION IS RECORD HIGH SINCE I CAME TO THIS COUNTRY IN 1988, AND THAT'S ONE ISSUE ON THE MINDS OF SECOND DISTRICT PEOPLE WHO TELL ME ON FIXED INCOME WORKING FAMILIES AND PAYING BILLS. YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE NO WAY T TO LIVE IN THEIR AMERIN DREAM. IT'S VERY SAD FOR ME TO SAY THAT IT IS CAUSED BY LOTS OF PRINTING MONEY BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT'S CAUSED BY OUT-OF-CONTROL DEFICIT SPENDING, AND THE GOVERNMENT IS GETTING BASICALLY JUST VERY, VERY OUT OF CONTROL IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. FOR EXAMPLE, WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A BUDGET BILL NOW, LIKE THE CONGRESS, NUMBER ONE JOB TO PRODUCE BUDGET BILLS AND CONTROL THEIR PURSE, BUT THEY HAVE NOT DONE. SO. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL. ANOTHER CONTINUING RESOLUTION. SO IF WE HAVE TO REALLY PAY DOWN OUR NATIONAL DEBT, $35 TRILLION AND BRING DOWN INFLATION, WE HAVE TO STOP PRINTING MONEY AND BORROWING MONEY WE DON'T HAVE AND PAY FOR THINGS WE CANNOT AFFORD. AND THAT'S WHERE I WILL STICK TO THE NUMBER ONE JOB OF THE CONGRESS. BEYOND CURTAILING GOVERNMENT SPENDING. MR. HAMLIN, WHAT WOULD YOU PUSH FOR IN CONGRESS TO GET INFLATION UNDER CONTROL? YOU KNOW, JOE BIDEN DECLARED WAR ON AMERICAN ENERGY. ENERGY GOES INTO EVERYTHING WE DO, GOES INTO OUR CARS, GOES INTO OUR HOMES, GOES INTO OUR FOOD. AND THE NUMBER ONE THING WE CAN DO IS FREE UP AMERICAN ENERGY UNDER JOE BIDEN. FIRST OF ALL, HE CANCELED THE KEYSTONE PIPELINE. HE PUT A MORATORIUM ON NEW NATURAL GAS EXPORT FACILITIES IN THE GULF COAST. AND HE'S ALSO GONE VERY SLOW ON NEW DRILLING PERMITS. HE'S DONE ALMOST ONE TENTH THE NUMBER OF PERMITS THAT DONALD TRUMP DID. SO I THINK YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO FREE UP AMERICAN ENERGY NOW. THERE'S THREE SPECIFIC THINGS WE CAN DO. DONALD TRUMP RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE IN IN IN PENNSYLVANIA, IT'S ABOUT FOUR, 4.5 HOURS FROM HERE. ONE OF THE GREATEST SHALE GAS DISCOVERIES OF OF OUR CENTURY OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS. AND THAT GAS CAN COME HERE. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS MADE IT ONE OF HIS PRIORITIES TO GET PENNSYLVANIA GAS TO NEW ENGLAND. WE HAVE THE SECOND HIGHEST ELECTRICITY RATES IN THE NATION IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. AND PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS REPEATEDLY MENTIONED THIS. IT'S A TOP PRIORITY ISSUE FOR HIM. SO I THINK IT'S AN EASY IT'S AN EASY WIN. AND IT'S SOMETHING WHEN I GO TO WASHINGTON, WITH MY EXPERIENCE, 30 YEARS IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY, I CAN HELP HIM DO THAT. NEXT QUESTION HOUSING COSTS ARE ALSO A HUGE ISSUE FOR GRANITE STATERS, THE LEADERS OF THE STATE'S LARGEST PRIVATE EMPLOYER, DARTMOUTH HEALTH, WHICH IS IN YOUR DISTRICT, HAS CITED A LACK OF AVAILABLE HOUSING AS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT JOB CANDIDATES, INCLUDING FOR GOOD PAYING JOBS LIKE DOCTORS AND NURSES, ARE TURNING DOWN THEIR OFFERS. WHAT SINGLE PIECE OF LEGISLATION WOULD YOU WORK TO PASS TO ALLEVIATE THE HOUSING SHORTAGE? AND WE'LL START WITH YOU, MR. HAMLIN. WELL, IT'S DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT NEW HAMPSHIRE REGULATION WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE BIG PROBLEM. WE HAVE. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE ARE THE HIGH INTEREST RATES, MORTGAGE RATES, THE HIGH MORTGAGE RATES, SEVEN AND A HALF TO 8% ARE CAUSING GRIDLOCK IN HOUSING. NO ONE CAN MOVE FROM HOUSE A TO HOUSE B IF YOU'RE GIVING UP A 3% MORTGAGE, LIKE THE YOU KNOW, UNDER UNDER DONALD TRUMP, WE HAD A 3% MORTGAGE RATES. RIGHT NOW THE MORTGAGE RATES ARE SEVEN AND A HALF TO 8%. SO THERE'S NO NEW REGULATION RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW IN OUR STATE THAT WE CAN DO THAT. THAT WOULD COMPETE WITH LOWERING MORTGAGE RATES. SO AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE NEED TO BRING DOWN INFLATION. THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO CURTAIL SPENDING AND BRING DOWN INFLATION, BRING DOWN MORTGAGE RATES. THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION RECENTLY PUT IN NEW RULES AND REGULATIONS UNDER HUD THAT INCREASE THE PRICE OF THE AVERAGE HOUSE BY $7,000. AND THIS WAS DUE TO ENERGY SAVINGS. RIGHT. IT'S A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF A DEMOCRATIC SOLUTION THAT INCREASES THE PRICE OF A HOUSE, AS OPPOSED TO A REPUBLICAN SOLUTION THAT WOULD REDUCE THE PRICE OF HOUSING. SO I THINK WE NEED TO PUT A MORATORIUM ON NEW FEDERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE NON-SAFETY RELATED, THAT ARE INCREASING THE PRICE OF HOUSING TOO MUCH MONEY. ADAM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO HELP THE HOUSING CRISIS HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. LET'S BEGIN WITH INFRASTRUCTURE. LOOK, WE HAD AN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT WAS PASSED THREE YEARS AGO. I LIVE IN LINCOLN, NEW HAMPSHIRE. THERE WAS A BRIDGE THERE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN. IT'S STILL NOT FIXED RIGHT. IF WE GET INFRASTRUCTURE PUT IN PLACE, WHETHER THAT'S WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, ELECTRICITY INFRASTRUCTURE, ROADS, BRIDGES, HIGHWAYS, WE WILL ALSO ENABLE THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSING AND WE HAVE A PROBLEM. WE HAVE A SUPPLY DEMAND IMBALANCE. SO OF COURSE WE WANT TO LOWER INTEREST RATES THAT WILL ENABLE MORE AFFORDABLE BUILDING, THAT WILL INCENTIVIZE INVESTMENT IN HOUSING. IT WILL MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO REALIZE THERE IS A SUPPLY DEMAND IMBALANCE AND THE DEMOCRAT SOLUTION HERE IS TO PUSH DEMAND UP WITH HANDOUTS. KAMALA HARRIS MAGGIE GOODLANDER HAVE TALKED ABOUT A $25,000 SUBSIDY FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP. THAT'S THE WRONG SOLUTION. THAT IS PUTTING GASOLINE ON A FIRE. TO PUT IT OUT. IT WILL MAKE INFLATION WORSE. SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS GROW SUPPLY. SO YOU HEARD ME SAY DRILL, BABY, DRILL. NOW IT'S TIME TO BUILD BABY BUILD NOW, NOW, THOMAS TOM WILLIAMS. WHAT DEMOCRAT SOLUTIONS ALWAYS USE FEDERAL DOLLARS WE DON'T HAVE. LET'S PRINT SOME MORE. GIVE MORE CREDIT TO PEOPLE AND ARTIFICIALLY DRIVE UP THE PRICES. YOU KNOW THE EVEN MORE RIDICULOUS THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT GIVING ILLEGALS IN CALIFORNIA TO BUY HOMES WITH TAXPAYERS MONEY. I THINK IT'S FUNDAMENTALLY DEMAND AND SUPPLY. WE HAVE LOTS OF DEMAND HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE BECAUSE WE HAVE QUALITY OF LIFE AFTER COVID. EVERYBODY WANTS TO MOVE HERE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLIES. WE HAVE HIGH INFLATION COSTS, LABOR COSTS, ENERGY COSTS, AND ALL THE BUILDERS HAVE NO INCENTIVE TO BUILD. INTEREST IS HIGH. MORTGAGE RATES ARE HIGH. THEY CANNOT SELL THE PRICE THEY WANT TO. AND AT THE LOCAL LEVEL THAT WE HAVE ZONING LAWS KIND OF LIMITED. ALSO WHAT YOU CAN BUILD AND WHERE YOU CAN BUILD. SO THIS IS SHOULD BE THE, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST FEDERAL ISSUE BUT ALSO LOCAL ISSUE. BUT WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING FOR FEDERAL OFFICE. AND THEN BRING DOWN THE INFLATION INTEREST RATE AND MORTGAGE RATE. AND THAT IS THE ROOT OF THIS RIGHT NOW. THE HIGH HOUSING COST PROBLEM. NEXT QUESTION FROM MONICA HERNANDEZ. NOW ALL OF YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU BELIEVE THE ABORTION ISSUE SHOULD BE DECIDED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND YOU WOULD VOTE ACCORDINGLY IN WASHINGTON. BUT RESTRICTING ABORTION HAS BEEN PART OF THE REPUBLICAN AGENDA FOR DECADES. SO IF YOU ARE PART OF A GOP MAJORITY AND YOU'RE PRESSURED TO VOTE FOR FEDERAL ABORTION RESTRICTIONS, HOW WILL YOU REACT? MR. HAMLIN? THIS QUESTION GOES FIRST TO YOU. WELL, LET ME START WITH THIS. YOU KNOW, AS THE FATHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS, AGED 20 AND 22, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE WITH AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF RESPECT, COMPASSION AND EMPATHY FOR THE WITH THE YOUNG WOMEN INVOLVED HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, WE HAVE A SIX MONTH ABORTION LIMIT WITH LATE. TERM ABORTION RESTRICTIONS WITH VERY REASONABLE EXCEPTIONS. AND I THINK THAT'S A COMMON SENSE CONSENSUS THAT I FULLY SUPPORT. YOU KNOW, NOW, I AGREE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT IT IS FUNDAMENTALLY A STATES RIGHTS ISSUE. IT'S RIGHT FOR CALIFORNIA IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S RIGHT FOR SOUTH DAKOTA. AND HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, WE HAVE A CONSENSUS NOW WHEN IT COMES TO ME GOING TO WASHINGTON, I WOULD NOT ADVOCATE FOR ANYTHING MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. WE HAVE A COMMONSENSE CONSENSUS THAT I FULLY SUPPORT, AND I WOULD TAKE THOSE NEW HAMPSHIRE VALUES TO WASHINGTON WITH ME TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF THE SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AND MISS WILLIAMS, IF YOU ARE PART OF A GOP MAJORITY AND YOU'RE PRESSURED TO VOTE FOR FEDERAL ABORTION RESTRICTIONS, HOW WOULD YOU REACT? WELL, I HAVE SAID REPEATEDLY THIS IS A STATE ISSUE AND I SUPPORT GIVING BACK TO THE STATE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECIDE EVERYTHING WE LOVE LOCAL CONTROL AND AND THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ACTUALLY TOOK SOME PERSONAL RISKS TO GIVE BACK TO THE STATE. AND WE CAN DECIDE THROUGH THE MOST GRASSROOTS DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT HERE. BUT PERSONALLY, I WILL NOT VOTE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AT ALL FOR BETWEEN OR AGAINST, BECAUSE WHENEVER YOU CHANGE A PARTY MAJORITY, IT'S GO BACK TO SQUARE ONE FIGHTING AGAIN AND THE DEMOCRATS ALWAYS WANT TO USE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO MANDATE STUFF. THEY TALK ABOUT DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE AT OUR LOCAL LEVEL TO DECIDE. BUT I WANT TO SHOW COMPASSION TOWARDS BOTH LIVES INVOLVED ON THIS ISSUE. A WOMAN AND AN UNBORN BABY WHO HAVE NO VOICE. AND I THINK THAT WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING THROUGH PRIVATE CHARITY TO PROMOTE LIFE, HELP WOMEN TO CHOOSE LIFE. I'M PROUD TO SAY I'M A MONTHLY DONOR TO PREGNANCY CENTERS, $1,000 A YEAR. YOU CAN SAVE A WOMAN AND HER BABY AND HOPE THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE WILL DO MORE OFTEN AS PRIVATE CHARITY LEVEL AND MR. CHAIRMAN, IF YOU ARE PART OF A GOP MAJORITY AND YOU'RE PRESSURED TO VOTE FOR ABORTION RESTRICTIONS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, HOW WOULD YOU REACT IF. LOOK, I AGREE WITH THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LAW. I SUPPORT THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LAW. I THINK THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LAW IS RIGHT FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE. AND AS A REPRESENTATIVE, THIS IS A JOB WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO SEND ME TO WASHINGTON TO REPRESENT THE SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AND THE STATE'S BELIEFS AND WHAT WE HAVE COME TO. WE'VE COME TO THIS BELIEF THAT, YOU KNOW, RESTRICTIONS IN THE THIRD TRIMESTER WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS FOR THE MOTHER'S HEALTH AND FATAL FETAL ANOMALIES, IS APPROPRIATE. I WOULD REPRESENT THAT, AND I WOULD VOTE FOR THAT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. IF IT CAME TO THAT, I WOULD NOT BE MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN WHAT WE HAVE AGREED TO HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, BECAUSE I'M REPRESENTING THE NEW HAMPSHIRE INDIVIDUALS NEXT QUESTION FROM STEVE BOTTARI. YESTERDAY, A 14 YEAR OLD STUDENT IN GEORGIA KILLED TWO OTHER STUDENTS AND TWO TEACHERS AND WOUNDED SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE AT SCHOOL. ONCE AGAIN, AMERICANS ARE LOOKING TO THEIR POLITICAL LEADERS FOR ANSWERS AS TO HOW TO STOP THIS. SO WHAT HAS TO CHANGE, MR. MOUNT ARARAT TO YOU FIRST? YEAH. LOOK, STEVE, IT'S A IT WAS A TRAGEDY. MY HEAEART WAS BROKEN HEARING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PARENTS AND OTHERS INVOLVED A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE FOR SURE. AND WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. WITH THAT SAID, WE SHOULD GET AT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS. AND THE ROOT CAUSE OF SOME OF THESE ISSUES ARE OFTENTIMES MENTAL HEALTH AND ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AND OTHER THINGS. NOW, I JUST READ ACTUALLY EARLIER TODAY THAT THE FBI WAS MADE AWARE THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL, THE SHOOTER, HAD SOME MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND IT SORT OF PUT SOME THREATS OUT THERE. THEY WERE UNDER WATCH. WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF GETTING THOSE WHO NEED HELP, HELP THE HELP THEY NEED, AND THAT MEANS PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I ACTUALLY AM IN FAVOR OF SOME SOCIAL MEDIA RESTRICTIONS FOR THE YOUNG IN OUR SOCIETY. THE ALGORITHMS. ET CETERA. IT'S COMPOUNDING THE CLIMATE. ALARMISM IS CREATING THIS FEAR, THIS ANXIETY, YOU KNOW, ET CETERA. SO I THINK WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROOT CAUSES HERE, WHICH IS MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS. AND WE NEED TO NOT STIGMATIZE GETTING HELP. MR. WILLIAMS, TO YOU NOW, SAME QUESTION. I HEAR A VIDEO OF POLLS THIS MORNING. MY HEART BREAKS FOR THE FAMILIES AND AND THE VICTIMS. BUT THE GUN CONTROL IS NOT THE ANSWER. AND WHY DO THEY? YOU KNOW, SHOOTERS DON'T GO TO OTHER PLACES TO SHOOT PEOPLE LIKE POLICE STATIONS BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS ARMED. I HAVE A VETERAN TELLING ME HE WAS A TEACHER. HE HE WAS WELL TRAINED TO CONCEAL, CARRY, PROTECT HIS OWN DAUGHTERS IN SCHOOLS. BUT HE WASN'T NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE A FEDERAL LAWS, GUN FREE ZONES THAT COST LIVES. I HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT CHILDREN AND THE TEACHERS. WE NEED TO ALLOW PEOPLE VOLUNTEERED. WELL TRAINED AND TO CARRY. WE HAVE SO MANY VETERANS ARE WILLING TO DO THAT, BUT IT JUST BECAUSE IT'S IDEOLOGICAL, POLITICAL ISSUE THAT THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO AND WHAT IF THERE'S A POLICE RESOURCE OFFICER? DID NOT YOU KNOW, GO SHOOT THE SHOOTER, PREVENT MORE DEATHS LIKE THE PARKLAND RESOURCE OFFICER WAS HIDING OUTSIDE. IT CAUSED SO MANY DEATHS, IT'S UNNECESSARY. I THINK THE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN NEED TO BE PROTECTED BY OUR VOLUNTEERS, EVEN INCLUDED TEACHERS AND STAFF. UNTIL THE NEXT QUESTION HERE FROM THE DESK ON UKRAINE, WE HAD MR. HAMLIN AS WELL. MR. HAMLIN, I'M SORRY, BILILL, I WILL SKIP YOU SURE THE LAST QUESTION. YES. OKAY. WELL, AS I MENTIONED, I'VE GOT TWO DAUGHTERS AND 20 AND 22, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE THE PAIN THAT THE PARENTS ARE GOING THROUGH THAT THEY LOST THEIR CHILDREN. IT'S JUST ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC. BUT AS THE FACTS ARE STILL COMING IN, WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IS THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS WERE AT THE HOME OF THIS CHILD. THIS 14 YEAR OLD, AND I READ TODAY THAT HIS AUNT SAID HE WAS HE WAS REACHING OUT FOR HELP. SO I THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THIS WAS A TRAGIC FAILURE OF OF OUR SYSTEM TO ADDRESS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. AND I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO INCREASE SAFETY AT OUR SCHOOLS. BUT I THINK IT'S EASY TO TO JUMP TO SECOND AMENDMENT SOLUTIONS TO WHAT ARE CLEARLY MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. I DO WORRY THAT IN A LOT OF SCHOOLS, WE HAVE EXCESS UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT CREATE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, AND WE NEED TO HAVE THAT MONEY ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. OKAY. NEXT QUESTION MONICA HERNANDEZ. ON JANUARY SIXTH, 2025, THE NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WILL NEED TO CERTIFY THE ELECTIOION AFTER THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP SOUGHT TO STOP THAT PROCESS, CLAIMING THERE WAS WIDESPREAD VOTING FRAUD WITH NO EVIDENCE THAT STOOD UP IN COURT. IF HE DOES THE SAME THING AGAIN, WOULD YOU BLOCK CERTIFICATION WITHOUT SEEING ACTUAL PROOF OF WIDESPREAD FRAUD? MR. MONTREAL WILL GO TO YOU FIRST. NO, I WOULD NOT BLOCK CERTIFICATION AND MR. HAMLIN WILL GO TO YOU. YOU KNOW, I WOULD NOT BLOCK CERTIFICATION, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL FROM THE CANADIAN BORDER DOWN TO THE MASS BORDER, TALKING TO VOTERS IN DINERS IN RESTAURANTS, IN GAS STATIONS, KNOCKING ON DOORS, NOBODY HAS ASKED ME ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION AND CERTIFICATION. THIS JUST ISN'T AN ISSUE. WHAT PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT ARE WHAT AM I GOING TO DO TO SECURE THE BORDER? THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT. I HAVE HAD NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE BORDER, LIKE I SAID, I WILL DO EVERYTHING WITHIN MY POWER TO SECURE THAT BORDER. I WILL DO EVERYTHING WITHIN MY POWER TO BRING DOWN INFLATION. THOSE ARE THE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT, AND THOSE ARE THE ISSUES THAT I CARE ABOUT. MR. WILLIAMS, IF THAT HAPPENS AGAIN, WOULD YOU BLOCK CERTIFICATION WITHOUT SEEING ACTUAL PROOF OF WIDESPREAD FRAUD? WELL, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A SAFE ACT IN CONGRESS WAITING TO BE DISCUSSED AND PASSED TO GO WITH OUR SPENDING BILL THAT MEANS ONLY AMERICAN CITIZENS ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE IN OUR FEDERAL ELECTIONS. THAT'S COMMON SENSE. THAT'S NO BIG BRAINER. WE WANT TO GUARANTEE OUR ELECTION IS GOING TO BE HONEST. SO TALK ABOUT 2025 ELECTION RESULTS. DEPENDS ON ARE WE GOING TO PASS THAT LAW? ARE WE GOING TO LET ILLEGALS REGISTER TO VOTE AND MARGINALIZE AMERICAN CITIZENS? VOICES AND CHOOSE THEIR DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVES? IT DEPENDS. RIGHT? I WOULD LOVE TO FOR OUR PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER. IT'S GOOD FOR OUR COUNTRY AND GOOD FOR OUR PEOPLE. BUT WE GOT TO PASS THIS SAFER ACT SO OUR VOICES AS AMERICAN CITIZENS WILL NOT BE MARGINALIZED AND PREVENT THE FRAUD AND CHEATING IN OUR ELECTIONS AND TALKING TO MINORITIES. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET ID IF YOU DON'T HAVE ID, YOU CAN STILL VOTE. IT'S JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S INSULTING. WE KNOW HOW TO GET ID BLACK PEOPLE SAY THEY KNOW HOW TO GET ID. WE NEED TO PASS THIS VOTER ID LAW. ALL RIGHT. NEXT QUESTION FROM STEVE BOTTARI. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 32ND ANSWERS FOR THIS ONE CANDIDATE. GRANITE STATERS ARE NOTORIOUSLY INDEPENDENT. WHAT'S A SPECIFIC POLICY YOU DISAGREE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP ON AND WHY? MR. WILLIAMS, TO YOU FIRST? WELL, AND I AGREE, MOST OF HIS POLICIES AND I WAS NOT, I THINK VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE DEFICIT AND OF COURSE, COVID DID NOT HELP. AND BUT HE DID SO MANY THINGS. HE STOOD UP AGAINST CHINA. HE PROMOTED WORLD PEACE. HE DID A JUSTICE REFORM, AND THEY STILL GO AFTER HIM TRYING TO BANKRUPT HIM AND JAIL HIM. AND NOW ASSASSINATED HIM. SO I THINK THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL THE POLICY ISSUES. THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON IN THIS ELECTION YEAR. AND WE CAN REALLY WORK TOGETHER LIKE RFK AND TULSI SAID, LET'S MOVE THE COUNTRY FORWARD OVER UNITY. MR. MATRIMONY. YEAH. LOOK, I THINK WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP STICKS TO POLICY DISCUSSIONS, WE WIN REPUBLICAN POLICIES ARE ABSOLUTELY A WINNING SET OF POLICIES FOR THE NATION. AND SO I REALLLLY WANT TO SEE THAT. AND I THINK WHAT WE NEED HERE IN THIS SEAT, IF I CAN REPRESENT YOU IN DC, IT WILL BE A JOB WHERE WE CAN CLEARLY ARTICULATE THE ABSOLUTE POSITIVES OF THE REPUBLICAN AGENDA. AND IF WE STICK TO THE POLICIES OF LIMITED GOVERNMENT, MORE FREEDOM, MORE LIBERTY, WE'RE GOING TO BE FINE. MR. HAMLIN, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN 2016 AND 2020, OUR NATION WAS SAFE. WE HAD THE LOWEST INFLATION, WE HAD THE GREATEST ECONOMY OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. OUR NATION. YOU KNOW, OUR ENEMIES WEREN'T ATTACKING US ABROAD. WE EVEN HAD THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS. BUT I'M GOING TO TURN IT AROUND A LITTLE BIT AND SAY, THERE IS ONE POLICY I WAS ORIGINALLY AGAINST, BUT I'VE COME AROUND ON THAT AND THAT IS HIS TARIFFS. YOU KNOW, TRADITIONAL ECONOMISTS ARE OPPOSED TO TARIFFS. BUT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL RECENTLY HAD AN ARTICLE PRAISING DONALD TRUMP'S TARIFFS ON CHINA BECAUSE A LOT OF PRODUCTION MOVED TO THE PHILIPPINES, MOVED TO VIETNAM AS A RESULT OF HIS HIS TARIFFS. MR. HAMLIN, IT'S TIME. OKAY, FINAL QUESTION NOW AGAIN, 32ND ANSWERS CANDIDATES SO MUCH INTENSITY IN THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. SO MUCH VITRIOL. HOW DO YOU LOWER THE POLITICAL TEMPERATURE IN THIS COUNTRY? FIRST TO YOU, MR. WILLIAMS? WELL, I CAME HERE LEGALLY AND I LOVE THIS COUNTRY. I LOVE OUR PEOPLE AND I WANT IT TO BE A POSITIVE UNIFIER. AND I HATE TO PLAY IDENTITY POLITICS. AND I THINK THE MEDIA AND THE POLITICIANS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR COUNTRY, WE SHOULD ALL TONE DOWN THE TEMPERATURE AND ALSO TRY TO YOU KNOW, JUST HAVE AN HONORABLE, HONEST, OPEN DISCUSSIONS. I DO THAT ALL THE TIME ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AND LOTS OF PEOPLE LIKE ME. THEY'RE JUST REGULAR GRASSROOOOS AND COMMON FOLKS WHO SAY, WE LIKE YOU BECAUSE YOU LOOK AT ME AND STICK INTO MY EYES, REGARDLESS OF MY PARTY AFFILIATION. MR. WILLIAMS, MR. HAMLIN, YOU KNOW, I WAS RECENTLY INTERVIEWED BY A RADIO STATION AND THE AND THE HOST WAS AN AVOWED DEMOCRAT. AND BEFORE THE INTERVIEW STARTED, WE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT GRASS FED BEEF. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOOD QUALITY FOOD. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOURDOUGH BREAD. AND HE SAID, WHY YOU SOUND LIKE A DEMOCRAT. AND I LAUGHED AND WE LAUGHED BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANY CONSERVATIVE THAT DOESN'T ALSO CARE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF OUR FOOD. AND I FOUND IT A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE. THERE'S SOME THERE'S MANY SHARED VALUES WE HAVE IN OUR NATION AND THE QUALITY OF OUR FOOD AND THE HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN. THESE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE VERY BIPARTISAN. AND WHEN I CAMPAIGNED IN THE GENERAL ELECTION, THAT'S ONE OF THOSE ISSUES THAT I HOPE TO BRING IN INDEPENDENTS AND DEMOCRATS WAS WITH MR. MUNCH. HARMONY, LOOK, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO UNIFY. WE HAVE MORE IN COMMON AS AMERICANS THAN WE DO AS THAN WE HAVE AS DIFFERENCES. YOU KNOW, EVEN HERE, MY CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN ABOUT UNIFYING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY GOING FORWARD, PULLING FROM ALL WINGS OF THIS PARTY TO GET TOGETHER SO WE CAN WIN IN NOVEMBER. I'M THE BEST CANDIDATE TO WIN IN NOVEMBER. BILL WAS A REGISTERED DEMOCRAT EARLIER THIS YEAR. LILY WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY IN COLORADO. RAN. SHE'S RUN FOR IN TWO DIFFERENT STATES TWICE. THREE DIFFERENT OFFICES, FOUR DIFFERENT ELECTIONS OVER THE LAST YEARS. SHE'S NOW A REPUBLICAN, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO UNIFY THE REPUBLICANS. THAT'S THE KEY. THAT'S TIME. OKAY. UNIFYING. YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CANDIDATES POSITIONS ON MANY ISSUES. WE'RE STUCK AT THE END HERE, GUYS. I'M SORRY. YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT THESE ISSUES. AND MANY OTHERS BY GOING TO WMUR. DOT COM OR OUR FREE MOBILE APP. YOU'LL ALSO FIND INFNFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO CAST YOUR BALLOT ON ELECTION DAY. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THINGS UP WITH THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR THE SECOND DISTRICT. WE WANT TO THANK THE REPUBLICANS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND THE NEW HAMPSHIRE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS AT SAINT ANSELM COLLEGE FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP ON THIS DEBATE. DON'T GO ANYWHERE. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THE BREAK. THANK YOU ALL.